The invention relates to a device and to a method for the incubation of cells.
Conventionally, cells for incubation are filled into a culture vessel and the culture vessel is inserted into an incubator. Optimal conditions for the incubation of cell cultures are provided in the incubator, by an atmosphere and temperature (for example 37°) being set which is suitable therefor. The atmosphere is generally created by air with a specific CO2 and O2 content and a specific air humidity. The culture vessel is, for example, a multiwell culture plate containing a plurality of receivers, a culture flask or a culture dish. The cells are protected by loosely positioning a lid on culture plates and culture dishes. The loosely positioned lid makes it possible for the atmosphere prevailing in the incubator to be applied to the cells on the culture plate and/or the culture dish. Culture flasks have a closure with an integral filter, which also ensures that the atmosphere is applied to the cells.
In the cell culture laboratory, generally a plurality of users share a large incubator. The culture conditions in the incubator may be influenced by different users. Thus it is not excluded that different users alter the culture conditions so that they are optimised for the incubation of their specific cell cultures. Moreover, there is the risk of cross contamination, for example by mycoplasma. By the repeated opening of the doors and introducing new cell material, the users may introduce further contaminants. Moreover, they may place the culture vessels of other users in a different position, and as a result, make it difficult to find them again and/or mix them up.
Proceeding therefrom, the object of the invention is to provide a device and a method for the incubation of cells, which promotes the maintenance of the desired culture conditions during the incubation of cell cultures.